XML elements

Contents

This reference is for XML elements of the WoW XML Ui hieracry. These XML elements define game UI elements, and have XML attributes whos values are defined by XML types. This reference covers only the major WoW UI element types, see XML attributes and XML types for the rest.

XML elements are used to define WoW User Interface elements. These elements are defined using FrameXML '.xml' files which are loaded by WoW. When a FrameXML file is loaded, it processes the file's XML and from it's XML elements generates the actual game elements, which can be accessed programatically using the UIObjects in the WoW Lua environment. The root element of the WoW XML hierarcy is the Ui element. See XML UI for a general overview.

Curly braces {} are used to indicate when other inheriting element types maybe substituted. See XML inheritance for an explanation of WoW UI XML inheritance relationships. Note: Much of the information here is from the WoW Ui.xsd, and is by no means complete. All this information should be updated with patch changes. All non-default attriutes should be added here, with a link to a source and name of element. Note: the Source notes have been removed, and can now be found in XML elements history.

A layout frame type that holds a 3D view of the world. This type is not nomrally very useful for AddOn development, and is used by the system for displaying the world view and related. AddOns should use the UIParent as their topmost parent and not any frames derrived from this type.

This is not actually a Frame type, but a named instance of Frame, named "UIParent". Whats special about this system frame is that every addon you use loaded by default inside it (if parent attribute not defined). Also it's important that when you toggle addons visibility to take screenshot this frame becomes hidden, so any of its content not drawn. If you put your upmost addon frame outside of this frame, your addon will be visible always. For example when a user toggles UI visibility, its toggling the visibility of UIParent. To be a good citizen always use UIParent as your topmost parent, which can be done by leaving the parent of your topmost parents blank.

Base type for all animation elements. Animation elements are added to an AnimationGroup, or under Ui. Actual funcitonal animation elements must be one of the derrived types. Can also be defined in Ui as base for other animations.

The Ui element level Script element, that can be used to run plain text Lua script, or reference a Lua script file to be inlined, at that point during UI load. Is not the same as the script handler XML/Script elements that go in the XML/Scripts lists.

payload:

(optional) plain Lua text to be run at that point in the XML during UI load.